bers appointed by the Sultan; passed constitutional
amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15 elected members;
Sultan dissolved council on 1 September 2005 and appointed a new
council with 29 members as of 2 September 2005
elections: last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA)

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chief justice and judges are sworn in by the monarch
for three-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
National Development Party (NDP) [Yassin AFFENDI]; National Unity
Party of Brunei (PPKB) [leader NA]; People's Awareness Party (PAKAR)
[leader NA]
note: parties are small and inactive (2005)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, C, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato PUTEH
chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838
FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Emil SKODON
embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri
Begawan
mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507
telephone: [673] (2) 229670
FAX: [673] (2) 225293

Flag description:
yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width)
and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in
red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a
swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned
crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands

Economy Brunei

Economy - overview:
This small, well-to-do economy encompasses a mixture of foreign and
domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures,
and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account
for nearly half of GDP. Per capita GDP is far above most other Third
World countries, and substantial income from overseas investment
supplements income from domestic production. The government provides
for all medical services and free education through the university
level and subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei's leaders are
concerned that steadily increased integration in the world economy
will undermine internal social cohesion, although it be